A Day Off
by Medie
Summary: A trilogy: Declan and Miranda spend the day together. D/M fic
1. Story 1: Little Diversions

"Little Diversions"  
Author: Medie  
E-mail: medison@thezone.net  
Rating: PG  
Keywords: D/M, romance, humor  
Pairing: Miranda/Declan  
Series: part of the "A Day Off" Trilogy  
Spoilers: none  
Disclaimers: Not mine. Not even close.  
Summary: Declan's feeling devious.  
  
"Little Diversions"  
by M  
  
  
Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!  
  
Miranda's fingers stilled on the keys and she looked up - staring off into  
the air as she waited.  
  
Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!  
  
"Declan."  
  
Looking over at the woman sitting at his desk, Declan Dunn was the picture  
of innocence which was belied only by the rubber ball in one hand. "What?"  
  
"Stop that."  
  
"Stop what?"  
  
"Stop bouncing that ball off the ceiling." Her gaze landed on his face and,  
though only he could see it, softened - a sparkle entering her eyes. "It's  
distracting."  
  
Pointing at the laptop, she reined in the smile at the mischievous look in  
his eyes. "Paper!"  
  
Declan grinned impishly. "No, Miranda, *that* is a laptop."  
  
Rolling her eyes, she gestured at the laptop again. "Declan, I have a paper  
to finish, I'm almost done, I need quiet!"  
  
"Then quiet you shall have!" He proclaimed, tossing the ball aside and  
cradling his head in his interlaced hands. "I'm not sayin' another word  
until you say you're done."  
  
"Thank you." Miranda flashed a small smile and lowered her gaze to the  
laptop screen as she began to type once more.  
  
Declan held to his word as best he could. Several moments passed where the  
only sounds in the office consisted of Miranda's typing and their breathing  
then Declan shifted on the couch, sighing.  
  
The slim woman sitting at the desk glanced up but the man before her  
appeared to be fast asleep.  
  
Though suspicious, she shrugged it off and returned to her work. It was a  
subject that required fairly focused concentration and that was something  
Miranda was a master at. A few seconds was all it took for her to become  
completely absorbed in her work.  
  
It was the moment Declan was waiting for. Knowing Miranda like he did, he'd  
been expecting it. He also knew she had plenty of time to finish that paper  
but, in typical Miranda-fashion, was intent on doing it *now*. And, in  
typical Declan-fashion, he was intent on teaching her to have a little fun.  
  
It was how the dynamic of their relationship, the friendship and the  
romance, worked. Miranda was the one who kept him grounded and he was the  
one who taught her how to dream. Or as Miranda succinctly put it, she was  
the realist and he was the dreamer.  
  
After easing himself slowly off the couch, Declan inched around behind her  
and, for a few moments, he just stood behind her: watching her work. He  
liked moments like these . . . when he got the chance to watch Miranda being  
Miranda. Her mind so focused on her work, he could almost see the ideas  
moving fluidly through that quicksilver mind of hers.  
  
Sometimes, it amazed him to watch her in action. Others it scared him. The  
only thing Declan was sure of was that he'd definitely gotten on the Big  
Kahuna's good side to deserve Miranda in his life.  
  
Smiling, he reached out to lightly run his fingers down over her glossy dark  
hair.  
  
Beautiful . . .  
  
"Declan . . . " Miranda lifted the aforementioned head at the touch. She'd  
been right. He was up to something. Carefully she hid a smile as she  
resigned herself to the fact the paper was going to have to wait - though  
she wasn't going to make it easy on him. It was much too much fun to make  
him suffer.  
  
"Yes . . . " He replied in the same tone she'd used, deliberately drawing  
out the one word response.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"Touching your hair." A wicked glint appeared in his eyes.  
  
"Why are you touching my hair?"  
  
"Because I like it." Reaching out, he stroked his fingertips over the silky  
strands again. "Feels nice, soft."  
  
"Thank you." Her voice quiet, suffused with warmth brought from both the  
compliment and his proximity. "But . . . "  
  
"I know, I know." With an amiable chuckle, the anthropologist turned to  
browse through his books while she returned to the computer.  
  
Five minutes hadn't passed before he was leaning over her shoulder,  
apparently interested in her paper.  
  
Enjoying the little game, Miranda kept her gaze on the screen and the steady  
rhythm of her fingers didn't slack. If he wanted to distract her, Declan was  
going to have to work at it.  
  
Inhaling the faint scent of her perfume, he rested his chin against her  
shoulder. "It looks good."  
  
"Mmmhmmm . . . "  
  
"I'm not bothering you, am I?"  
  
"Uh uh."  
  
"Good."  
  
And so he remained, leaning over her shoulder, for a while until, to her  
amused surprise, Miranda felt a hand slide across the smooth material of her  
shirt, coming to stop on her midsection.  
  
"Declan . . . "  
  
"Yes, Miranda?"  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"Watching you type."  
  
She looked meaningfully at the hand on her midsection then back at him. "Ok,  
then what is your hand doing?"  
  
"It's just there." Declan replied with a grin.  
  
"Uh huh."  
  
At her look, he put on an expression of pure innocence. "What? It is!"  
  
"Behave, Declan." She instructed with a 'stern' look.  
  
"I'm behaving!" he protested, mischief lurking in his eyes.  
  
"No," A shake of her head accompanied her words. "You're deliberately trying  
to distract me." She smiled despite the accusation. "Admit it."  
  
"Maybe . . . " He singsonged, rocking on his heels slightly, feeling  
decidedly mischievous.  
  
She slanted a glance over her shoulder at him. "Yes."  
  
He grinned. "You need to relax Miranda; take a day off and have some fun.  
Just cut loose."  
  
"Declan," She was the epitome of patience. "I need to finish my paper."  
  
The anthropologist shook his head and reached down to pull her to her feet.  
"No, you need to have *fun*, with me." She didn't resist as he tugged her  
closer, molding her slim curves against his more solid, stockier form. "We'  
ve been too busy lately . . . I miss you." Putting on his best 'pleading  
little boy' face, he wheedled. "Please . . . "  
  
She was waving, he could see the indecision on her face, it wouldn't take  
much more.  
  
Leaning forward, he skimmed his lips along her cheek and felt her lashes  
brush against his as she closed her eyes, her breath quickening.  
  
"Declan . . . " Her voice was thick and he smiled in triumph. He had her.  
  
"One day, Miranda, just cut loose for one day . . . ok?"  
  
"Ok." She echoed absently, resting her head against his, thoroughly  
befuddled by his actions.  
  
"Good." Taking her by the hand, he grabbed their jackets. "Let's go . . . "  
  
Before she could react, he tugged her out the door.  
  
  
  
TBC part 2 


	2. Story 2: A Day At The Fair

"A Day At The Fair"  
Author: Medie  
E-mail: medison@thezone.net  
Rating: G  
Keywords: D/M, romance, humor  
Pairing: Miranda/Declan  
Series: part of the "A Day Off" Trilogy  
Spoilers: none  
Disclaimers: Not mine. Not even close.  
Summary: The next part of Declan's little day of diversion.  
  
"A Day At The Fair"  
by M  
  
  
"Declan..." Miranda opened the door of the truck and stared skeptically at  
what lay before her.  
  
"Yes, Miranda?" The anthropologist countered in an entirely too cheerful of  
a tone. With a grin, he stood before her, waiting for a response.  
  
"It's a fair."  
  
"I know what it is."  
  
"It's a fair."  
  
Declan's head bobbed in a nod. "Yes, we've established that."  
  
She narrowed her eyes at him. "You're having entirely too much fun with  
this."  
  
"Yes I am." He admitted honestly.  
  
He was bluntly honest and Miranda briefly entertained thoughts of creative  
and unusual ways to kill him but decided she liked him better breathing.  
"Why are we here?" She asked finally, sliding out of the truck and closing  
the door.  
  
"Because you agreed to spend the day with me." Declan took her hand and  
tugged her close to him, running his free hand over her hair. "And this is  
where I want to start." His eyes looked down into hers, earnest. "Have you  
ever really been to a fair?" At the shake of her head, he continued. "I  
thought so. See, one of the great rituals of youth is going to a fair with a  
date: eating too much cotton candy, popcorn and candied apples, not to  
mention playing ridiculous games, winning humongous stuffed toys and getting  
sick on rides." As he spoke, he began herding her toward the fairgrounds.  
"You never did that so you and me are going to go in there, act like a  
coupla teenagers on a date and have *loads* of fun."  
  
"Loads of fun?" She echoed skeptically.  
  
"Loads." He affirmed.  
  
Miranda heaved a sigh, which for her wasn't very noticeable, and nodded.  
"Ok..."  
  
"Try not to sound so enthusiastic." Declan teased, slipping an arm around  
her waist. "Someone might hear you." Pressing a kiss to her temple, he  
chuckled. "C'mon, let's go have some fun."  
  
-----  
  
"So?"  
  
"So what?"  
  
He gave her an exasperated look. "So are you having fun?"  
  
Miranda delicately licked some cotton candy off her fingertip, an action  
Declan found himself inordinately fascinated with, and considered it. "Yes."  
She looked around. "I want to play that." One slender finger pointed at a  
group of nearby kids who were all firing water guns into the mouths of  
clowns. "Can we?"  
  
Following her gesture, he stole a bite of cotton candy as he nodded. "Yeah,  
sure, let's try." He grinned. "Me against you or do you want to play  
spectator?"  
  
One dark eyebrow rose briefly at that and she handed him the cotton candy,  
wordlessly.  
  
Recognizing the brief flash of fire in her eyes, Declan fell into step  
behind her, chuckling softly.  
  
-----  
  
"How did you do that?!" As Miranda was handed the huge plush jaguar, the  
anthropologist at her side stared in surprise."You didn't miss once!"  
  
The raven-haired woman hefted the toy in her arms, an amused look in her  
eyes. "Skeet shooting."  
  
"What?" As they walked away from the booth, Declan hurried to keep up with  
the unconcerned Miranda. "Skeet shooting?"  
  
"Mmhmm..When I was younger, my Dad took me all the time." She shrugged. "Got  
pretty good."  
  
"Pretty good?!" he shook his head emphatically. "Uh uh..that was  
*phenomenal*...you're like Annie Oakley or something!"  
  
Her lips twitched in a small smile. "Declan," She looked back at the booth  
then at him. "It was a water pistol."  
  
"Yeah, but your aim!" He exclaimed with a grin. "Bullet..water..same thing."  
  
Miranda couldn't help it. A wide, well for her, smile dawned across her face  
and she held out the stuffed toy. "You keep it."  
  
"Isn't the guy supposed to be the one who does that?" Declan questioned,  
accepting it.  
  
"Conventionally? Yes." She lifted one shoulder. "We're unconventional."  
  
"No kidding." He noted wryly."Thanks." Heedless of who was around, he leaned  
over to kiss her soundly.  
  
Miranda's cheeks flamed and she pushed him back slightly. "Declan....we're  
in *public*."  
  
"So?" Declan replied merrily. "I love you and I don't care who knows it."  
  
She shook her head. "Maniac."  
  
"Guilty as charged."  
  
-----  
  
"Uh uh." Miranda shook her head.  
  
"Oh, come on." Declan tugged her hand and did his best to look plaintive.  
"Just one ride."  
  
"No." She tried to pull her hand free but he wouldn't relent. "I don't want  
to."  
  
"Miranda," Moving close, he tried the technique that had convinced her to  
spend the day with him. "It's another one of those great rituals of teen  
dating."  
  
"We're not teenagers." She pointed out logically. "In fact you..."  
  
"Shhh!" A hand went over her mouth and he grinned impishly. "I'm doing my  
best to forget that. Besides, aren't you the one who says I never grew up?"  
Behind his hand she nodded.  
  
A flash of something appeared in her eyes and too late he realized it was  
devilment.  
  
Lightening-fast, her tongue slipped out and ran over the skin of his  
fingers. With a yelp, he dropped his hand and her lips curved up into a  
small very smug smile.  
  
"Imp." He accused, tugging her close again. "Just one ride Miranda. Just one  
ride."  
  
She looked up at the ferris wheel and sighed.  
  
-----  
  
"Declan."  
  
He looked over at her sheepishly. "Sorry."  
  
"We're stuck up here Declan." Miranda frowned at him. "We're stuck at the  
top of a ferris wheel."  
  
"We are." He agreed, his hand sneaking across the seat to touch hers. "Your  
hands are cold."  
  
"A little." She confessed.  
  
Taking them in his, he lifted them to his mouth, blowing gently. "Why didn't  
you say so?"  
  
"We're stuck up here," She smiled briefly. "It seemed like a bigger concern  
than cold fingers."  
  
He chuckled. "Always logical." Sliding her closer, he wrapped her in his  
arms, holding her against him; the heat of his body warming her smaller one.  
"Too logical sometimes."  
  
"Too logical?" She lifted her head slightly, looking up at him. "How's  
that?"  
  
His grin was back. "We're stuck at the top of a ferris wheel, with no sign  
of getting down soon, and you haven't once tried to make out." His dark eyes  
twinkled down at her and her body warmed, a warmth that had nothing to do  
with the proximity of two bodies.  
  
"Make out?" She smiled, reaching up with her fingertips to brush the stubble  
that lined his jaw. "Up here?"  
  
"Up here." He agreed.  
  
She shook her head. "Maniac."  
  
"You keep calling me that ." Declan reminded with a grin.  
  
"That's because it's true." She countered softly, laughter lurking in her  
gaze.  
  
"It is huh?" He placed a finger beneath her jaw, tilting her head back  
slightly, his eyes going to her mouth.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Ok." Leaning forward, he brought his lips to hers. "Just checking."  
  
"Ok." She echoed against his mouth before closing her eyes and giving in to  
the kiss. He might be a maniac but he was her maniac and she loved him for  
it. Just as he loved her.  
  
TBC Part 3 


	3. Story 3: Drive-In

"Drive-n"  
Author: Medie  
E-mail: medison@thezone.net  
Rating: PG  
Keywords: D/M, romance, humor  
Pairing: Miranda/Declan  
Series: part of the "A Day Off" Trilogy  
Spoilers: none  
Disclaimers: Not mine. Not even close.  
Summary: And to finish off the day...  
  
"Drive-In"  
by M.  
  
Miranda woke to the sound of the truck's engine dying. Briefly, she thought  
they'd broken down but when she opened her eyes, she found herself looking  
out at a large white sheet fastened to the side of a barn.  
  
Huh?  
  
Lifting her head from Declan's shoulder, she blinked sleepily. "Where are  
we?"  
  
"A friend's." He replied, forgetting everything but how beautiful she looked  
fresh from sleep.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Doesn't matter." He reached out to gently untangle her mussed hair. "Date's  
not over yet."  
  
Her azure eyes clouded in confusion and he smiled. "Just wait a second."  
Sliding away from her, Declan opened the door and hopped out of the truck.  
  
He was gone but a moment when the sheet was lit up by a strong light.  
  
Looking over her shoulder, Miranda squinted against the light's brightness,  
her eyes straining to see where Declan had gone. She couldn't see him but it  
looked to her like the light was coming from a projector.  
  
The color changed and she turned back to see an image being projected.  
  
Returning to the truck, Declan leaned over to pull two cans of soda and a  
bag of popcorn from behind the seat. "All right, we've got everything. We're  
ready."  
  
"For what?" Miranda questioned, her gaze alternating between the FBI warning  
displayed on the sheet to his smiling face. "What's going on?"  
  
"We are exploring another icon of teenage dating." He explained with a grin.  
"The drive in movie."  
  
"This isn't a drive in." She pointed out, accepting a soda as he tugged her  
close.  
  
"Sure it is." Declan argued. "We drove in here didn't we? Voila. Drive in."  
He gestured at the sheet. "That's a movie, we drove in here. So that makes  
it a drive in movie. No one ever said anyone else had to be here."  
  
She opened her mouth to point out the flaws in his arguement but found her  
comment fading as she rested her head against him, snuggling close. The  
scent of Declan permeated the air around her and his bodyheat radiated  
throughout her slim frame. She was never as relaxed, as comfortable, as at  
peace as she was when she was with him. It confounded her to no end. Declan  
was, by his very nature, completely infuriating and a headache waiting to  
happen. Yet he had the ability to calm her and relax her like no one else.  
The man was nothing if not a walking-talking contradiction in terms. "Ok."  
She said finally, not knowing what else to say. "So what are we watching?"  
  
"Bugs Bunny."  
  
The immediate reply was confirmed by the appearance of those infamous ears  
and, moments later, infamous face chowing down on a carrot, on the screen.  
Miranda shook her head and laughed slightly. "You're insane, Declan."  
  
"Oh I know." He agreed willingly. "To paraphrase a movie, "I battled with  
reality all my life and I finally won out."  
  
She smothered a giggle at the comment, rubbing her cheek against the soft  
material of her shirt. "Must have been an impressive battle."  
  
"Oh it was." Declan's head bobbed. "Very long, very bloody, imaginary blood  
but that's beside the point," He caught the look in her eye and grinned.  
"What were you expecting?"  
  
"With you?" Miranda replied dryly. "One never knows."  
  
"And you love it." He responded unrepentantly.  
  
"I do." She agreed with a nod. "It keeps things interesting."  
  
"May you live in interesting times..."  
  
"But not *too* interesting."  
  
"Ok, not *too* interesting." Declan acquiesed then grinned at her. "Let me  
know if you start to get bored."  
  
She pinched him lightly, peering up at him through the duskiness, her eyes  
glinting with merriment. "That will never happen. You and boredom don't  
belong in the same language much less the same sentence."  
  
Shifting his position, he smiled, placing a fingertip beneath her chin and  
lifting enough that he could kiss her slowly. When they parted, he brushed  
his nose against hers and smiled. "I'm that interesting, huh?"  
  
"You are." She nodded. "A fascinating puzzle that may take years to  
unravel."  
  
"Just years?" He gave her an expression of mock-offense. "I"m that easy to  
understand?"  
  
Miranda's lips hinted at a smile and she inclined her head, pretending to  
consider the problem. "All right, decades then."  
  
"I would have preferred centuries," He responded with an aggrieved sigh.  
"But I guess decades will have to do."  
  
"They will." She affirmed. "Unless you're Immortal and hiding it from me."  
This was said with a playfully suspicious look. "And if you are...then we  
need to talk."  
  
He laughed softly, kissing her again. "No, no secret immortality. Sorry."  
  
Miranda favored him with an expression that seemed remotely similar to a  
pout. "Ah."  
  
"Already planning the experiments were you?" Declan teased, his gaze moving  
to watch Bugs Bunny outwit Elmer Fudd yet again, chuckling softly at the  
antics of the cartoons.  
  
"Maybe." She hedged, resting her head against him once more. "It would make  
a fascinating study."  
  
-----  
  
"Hey..." Declan's gentle touch on her cheek brought a groggy Miranda back to  
the waking world and she sat up, rubbing her eyes and yawning. "Movie that  
boring huh?"  
  
His tease brought a sleepy smile from her. "No, you're that comfortable."  
  
"Ahhh...' He nodded. "I'll be your mattress anytime."  
  
His unwitting comment made Miranda lower her hands and direct a pointed,  
amused, look at him and instantly Declan blushed. "I didn't mean..."  
  
"Of course you didn't." She agreed with a patronizing nod.  
  
"I didn't!" He protested, his blush deepening in the darkness.  
  
"Mmmhmmm...." Her sleep–tousled hair in another nod and she stretched  
lightly within the confines of the truck. "This was nice, Declan." She  
revealed, favoring him with a soft smile. "I liked it."  
  
"Good." He smiled widely, leaning forward to slid a hand into her hair and  
draw her close for a kiss. "You needed it."  
  
"I did." She agreed. "Thank you...I mean that, Declan. Thank you for  
everything. You always come up with something like this when I need it, and  
you always seem to know when I need it."  
  
"I bugged your brain." Declan joked lightly.  
  
"Or something." She countered dryly.  
  
"Or something." He repeated, running a fingertip along her cheek, guiding  
her dark hair away from her face. "Like constant and intensive study of  
every little thing you do, say, express..." His smile softened. "I think I'  
ve gotten pretty good at reading you."  
  
Moving closer again, Miranda hugged him. "You are." She affirmed softly.  
"You are."  
  
----  
  
"Home sweet home." Declan pronounced, pulling up in front of Miranda's  
building. Before she could speak, he got out of the truck and hurried around  
to her door, opening it for her. "May I walk you to your door?" Bowing  
extravagantly, he grinned at her and held out a hand.  
  
She accepted it and allowed him to help her out of the truck. "You may." She  
replied, adopting his playfully formal tone.  
  
Offering her his arm, he waited for her to slip hers into the crook of his  
elbow before leading her up to the front door. He took her hands in his  
then, looking about quickly. "Doesn't look like anybody's watching."  
  
Miranda smiled and shook her head. "Maniac."  
  
"Your maniac." He promised, dropping his head to hers.  
  
Accepting his kiss, she chose not to reply, but met his gaze with loving  
eyes.  
  
"So..." Declan adopted the 'nervous date' persona. "Can I...uh...can I call  
you? Sometime? Maybe?"  
  
She feigned consideration then smiled. "No."  
  
"No?"  
  
"No." She repeated, entwining her fingers with his. "You can make breakfast  
instead."  
  
"Breakfast?" He echoed.  
  
Miranda unlocked the front door then looked over her shoulder at him,  
teasing. "You do know how to cook?"  
  
"Cook?"  
  
Turning, she drew his face down to hers, kissing him deeply. "Yes, cook."  
  
"I'll learn." Declan promised softly. "Anything you want to teach me."  
  
She smiled. "I love you."  
  
He kissed her again, whispering the same when they parted and letting her  
draw him inside. "Miranda?"  
  
"Yes, Declan?"  
  
"How about a picnic this weekend?"  
  
"A picnic?"  
  
"Yeah, food, blanket, small chirping animals, ants raiding the basket. A  
picnic."  
  
"Declan, I have a paper to finish!"  
  
"You need to relax!"  
  
"Paper!"  
  
"Relax!"  
  
"Ok....But then I finish my paper."  
  
"Ok, then you finish your paper."  
  
"Thank you...maniac."  
  
"Your maniac."  
  
"My maniac."  
  
  
Finis 


End file.
